The Driving Divergence
by QueenSpicy
Summary: Our favorite duo are having relationship issues and learn some interesting things on an impromptu road trip (Vegas, Baby!). Rated M. Read at your own peril. AR/AU/OOC- Bugger off if it's not your thing. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!- Disclaimer: The Big Bang Theory belongs to Chuck Lorre. Poll: Should Sheldon & Penny get married in Vegas? Visit my profile page to vote.
1. Secret

**Secret**

**~O~**

* * *

**~O~**

"All I'm saying is that you would have thought someone would tell Kyle Reese that Sarah Connor was thinking of him when the picture was taken," said Penny.

"Yeah, it would have been nice to see his reaction. Very romantic in a sad way," piped in Raj.

"I hardly see how that would be relevant to the story. John Connor has to send Reese into the future to ensure his conception so he could save mankind."

They were approaching the final landing to their floor when they heard shouting.

"Really, Amy, I don't see how it's my problem."

"BECAUSE IT'S YOURS!" Penny and Bernadette exchanged a worried glance.

"What the frak was that?" asked Howard. They climbed the rest of the flight. Sheldon and Penny entered the apartment first and stared in shock at the sight in front of them. Amy's face was red and blotchy from crying. Leonard's face was pale and his body vibrated with fury.

"What in the world is going on here." demanded Sheldon as Bernadette and Penny moved toward Amy to comfort her. Sheldon looked from his roommate to his girlfriend expectantly.

"Amy?" he asked. Amy burst into body-wracking sobs and buried her face in her bestie's shoulder.

"What's going on, Leonard?" Bernie asked as she smoothed her distraught friend's hair. Leonard turned beat red, shoved his hands in his pants pockets and stared at his sneakers. Raj let out a strangled little "eep" and tugged on Howard's sleeve as he pointed at the coffee table.

"What's that?" asked Howard. All eyes moved to the coffee table. Penny released Amy to pick up the small plastic item.

"It's a pregnancy test," she said her voice hollow and distant. But her eyes were full of understanding. Amy was pregnant...with Sheldon's baby?

"Looks like you're gonna be a dad, Sheldon."

"A dad?" Sheldon squawked with alarm. "Women can't get pregnant from kissing, Penny. That's hokum." Penny's face drained of all color as she stared off blankly into space. Suddenly, she dropped the pregnancy test on the table as if it burned her fingers.

"If you're not the father," started Howard "then who..." Everyone looked to Leonard as it finally clicked. At this point Amy finally found her voice.

"I'm sorry. I was drunk and hurt and angry and I didn't mean for any of this to happen. But it did and now everything is ruined." she said miserably. Penny took a few steadying breaths before speaking.

"Leonard, it's over. Amy, it's best if we don't speak for a while." With that, she made her way to her apartment after gently shutting the door.

The group was stunned to silence until Sheldon piped up. "Again, what in the world is going on?"

"You should take a seat," said Leonard "in fact, we all should take a seat." He sat on his desk chair leaning forward on his elbow trying to figure out where to begin.

"It was after Howard got back from the Space Station. We were all running around getting the finishing touches for the wedding reception figured out when I blurted out another marriage proposal to Penny. She got mad and stopped... well she cut me off and wouldn't talk to me and I was really frustrated and angry. I just lost it at the reception when I saw her laughing and dancing with Bernadette's cousin David. I got really angry and jealous and started drinking- a lot.

Near the end of the night I ran into Amy out in the parking lot. She was drinking a bottle of sparkling wine and crying. So I sat down and she started to tell me how she rented a room at the hotel where the reception was being held because she was hoping she could get Sheldon to have sex. When she told him about it, he gave her his Homo Novus story. She told me she believed that Sheldon turned her down because she was undesirable. I put my arm around her to comfort her and before I knew it I kissed her. Then we were making out. We finished the bottle of sparkling wine and wanted to get more. But we were too intoxicated to walk much so we went to the hotel room and ordered room service. Things got fuzzy after that. So, the next thing I recall was waking up naked in bed as Amy worked herself to full a panic over a little blood on the sheets."

Leonard looked up to see his friends staring at him.

Dumbfounded.

Amy's eyes were still tearful but she calmed down considerably.

Sheldon looked too calm.

"I must say I feel betrayed at these turn of events. By far, this has been a most eventful Anything-Can-Happen-Thursday." He looked weary as he got up from his beloved spot. "I will take a page from Penny book." He turned to Amy still sniffling at her misery.

"Amy, because of your betrayal, I am invoking the Exit Clause of our Relationship Agreement. The agreement is now null and void. You are no longer my 'girlfriend'. Maybe someday we can renew our Friendship Agreement and return to girl-slash-friend-slash-boy-slash-friend status. Until then, I wish you well."

Amy nodded.

Sheldon then turned to Leonard. "For the time being we are no longer companions, boon or otherwise. We will retain the basic requirements of the Roommate Agreement until you figure out how you will handle your current predicament or we become companions again; or whichever comes first. I am going to my room. I need to be alone to process things."

He made his way to his room and gently shut the door.

After a long awkward pause, Howard cracked, "Well, that was fun. Bernie, Raj, let's head out and leave these two to their discussion."

**~O~**

Five days passed in silent reflection for the tenants of the fourth floor. It was Tuesday night and Penny trudged up the stairs to her apartment.

The gang never showed up at The Cheesecake Factory for dinner, so she got Sheldon's order to go. She knocked on the guys' door and, thankfully, it was Sheldon who answered. She wasn't ready to face Leonard yet.

"Leonard isn't here," he said by way of a greeting.

"No, that's okay, Sweetie. I came to see you." She held out the bag to him.

"You didn't come in for dinner so I thought I'd bring you your burger."

"Thank you, Penny. Would you like to come in?" She hesitated. "Don't worry, he'll be out for a few hours. You won't run into him. He stays out until midnight since last Thursday. He leaves again in the morning before work. I assume he's off dealing with his issues. Not that I care."

He twitched.

"Oh." She stepped into the living room. A few minutes to catch up couldn't hurt. "How have you been?" she asked.

"About as well as could be expected. I am sad and somewhat hurt these days. I thought throwing myself into work would cheer me up, but it hasn't been working. I suspect more drastic measures must be taken. How have you been 'holdin' up'?"

"Not well. I gained like five pounds from all the ice cream I've been eating." She looked down at her lap trying to keep Sheldon from seeing the tears that were dangerously close to spilling. Tears confused him.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly.

"Everything is wrong." Her voice was raw with emotion. "I'm not happy. I hate my job. My career is going nowhere. My love life sucks and I can't talk to my best friend." Sheldon handed her a box of tissues. "I need to get away," she continued. "But I don't have any sick or vacation days left." Sheldon watched as she wiped her tears and quickly came to a decision.

"Social convention dictates that when life 'gets you down', a weekend trip to 'Sin City' would put you on the path to healing." Penny looked at Sheldon like he lost what was left of his marbles before responding slowly.

"Sweetie, it will be a while before I can take time off. A road trip to Vegas is not practical right now."

"Well, why not?"

"Because if I miss one more day of work I'll get fired."

"Penny, Penny, Penny. You just got finished saying that you hate your job. You're smart enough to find something, should you choose, with better pay and a more flexible schedule; which would accommodate nurturing your acting career. To stay in a position which makes you unhappy is, to paraphrase Einstein, pure insanity."

"I don't know Sheldon." She trailed off with uncertainty.

"Please come with me, Penny. I'll help you with securing new employment as well as helping with any monetary issues that may arise during said search." He looked at her pleadingly.

"Well, okay."

"Great!" He gifted her with one of his rare genuine little smiles. "I have already taken the liberty of setting a few preparations in motion in anticipation of this joint adventure we are about to undertake."

"Why am I not surprised." She muttered dryly.

"I have our itinerary worked out, as well as accommodations and a gambling strategy."

"You have a gambling strategy?" she gaped. "Oh, Sweetie, that is so not how gambling works."

"My dear Penny, as I have told you numerous times before. When you have a working knowledge of the way the universe works, nothing is impossible."

**~O~**

Against her better judgment, she decided to trust Sheldon.

After a bit of tricky maneuvering, she managed to talk her manager into giving her a long weekend on short notice after promising to work a few doubles the following week. She packed her bag and stowed it in her trunk along with Sheldon's the next day. He was ever so pleased that she didn't wait until the last minute to pack. Early Thursday morning, she grabbed her thermos full of Joe and sent a text to Bernadette.

_Goin to Vegas with SC. Back Sun nite. Keep mum, unless 911._

A few minutes later Bernadette sent her reply.

_Ok. Have fun. Be Safe. _

Penny took one last tour of her apartment to make sure everything was turned off and unplugged. She walked out to the hall only to find Sheldon standing there waiting for her.

Then they were off.

**~O~**

It was still dark out. Too early for rush hour but that was the way she liked it for long car trips. You could get farther faster without worrying about the other motorists. The way she figured, they would be at Barstow by sunrise they could stop have some breakfast and stretch their legs before moving on to Las Vegas. But first she stopped at the gas station to fill up before getting on the I-210.

"I need to get some gas, Sheldon. Did you need to get some snacks before we move on?"

"I guess it wouldn't hurt if I got us a few things." He moved away from the car with a slight bounce in his step. Penny turned to grab a nozzle with a small smile on her face.

Her MoonPie was something else.

He was trying not to show his excitement about this little trip. She supposed she was glad of any distraction that would ease the situation for him. She suspected this was devastating to him. It was the first time he had to experience a break-up and all the fun emotional whiplash that comes with it. At least he had her to help him through it. She didn't have anyone to help her with her emotional crap.

_It works out though, _she thought. _I feel numb._

It usually took a bottle of wine to get to numb. Though now that she thought about it, she hardly had any alcohol since last Thursday. She only had the two glasses of wine at the Olive Garden during dinner and a few sips of beer she'd stolen from Raj's cup at that Korean ballroom dancing place (but only because she needed some sort of fortification if she were to have Howard teach her the finer points of dancing Salsa).

She leaned against the side of her car fiddling with a button on her blue flannel shirt. She remembered drinking a half bottle of zinfandel the night before the breakup, after her third argument with Leonard in as many weeks. He'd been acting weird for a few weeks after the wedding but she figured he was still being pissy about their argument and getting cut off.

_Yep, that would definitely do it._

Not that she felt particularly bad about cutting him off. Sometimes, it was the only way to get him to pay attention to what she was trying to say. Leonard is a good man. Sweet, funny and loyal- but he could be a total boy.

A teenaged boy.

She wasn't talking about his love of comics or his collection of "action figures". It was the way he thought with his penis first that would infuriate her. It was like he needed to take advantage of every opportunity to jump her bones for fear that she would evaporate or something. Then again, she wasn't much better.

She just held on, hoping it would get better because she believed he was different. For once she had a boyfriend who wasn't a big, muscular jock with a false sense of entitlement because he was a… well, a big, muscular jock. She hoped that since he was a smart guy he wouldn't treat her like a piece of ass. He didn't most of the time. The times he did, though, she'd feel hurt and angry. Alcohol was the crutch she used to brave it all.

_Which isn't brave at all. _

The sound of the gas flow juddering to a stop brought her back to the present.

**~O~**

* * *

**~O~**

The sky was slowly growing lighter as they drove ever closer to their destination. Penny loved the way it morphed from inky black to navy blue in those predawn hours. She sighed feeling more relaxed than she had in longer than she could remember. She was glad that Sheldon talked her into taking this mini vacation. Sometimes you just need distance to gain some perspective.

She glanced at the side view mirror and caught a glimpse of her friend dozing off to her right.

'_Travel Supervisor' my ass_, she thought with a smirk.

He was supposed to be helping her navigate. She was going to wake him up and give him a hard time about sleeping on the job but the she took another quick glance at him and changed her mind.

He looked so peaceful. He looked so young. It occurred to her that he'd been carrying traces of stress around his mouth and eyes for the past few days. She normally wouldn't notice something was wrong with him unless he stopped talking (provoking her) long enough to tell.

Sheldon had been unusually quiet in the last day. She was too busy rearranging her work schedule for it register. This whole break-up must have been really hard on him.

Were he a normal man, he would get over it by picking up a really cute girl and taking out his anguish on her lady parts by giving them a proper pounding. God knows he's good-looking enough to get away with it. Going out and doing something nasty with some random guy certainly made her feel better after a break-up.

She flashed back to that time after her first break-up with Leonard. Penny went to this club and ran into this really hot guy she met at one of her auditions. They danced and drank for most of the night. She remembered thinking he was really hot. Tall, lanky swimmer's build. Dark hair and dimples to die for… and just what she needed to forget.

They eventually made it to a parking garage that was nearly empty. Her skirt was so short that all he had to do was bend her over the hood of the car to gain access.

She felt her pulse start to speed up at the memory.

It was so good. Penny was relaxed from all the alcohol. The buzz plus the primal feeling she got from being taken from behind made her feel divine. The guy held on to her throat with one hand and had his long fingers from the other twisted up in her hair for leverage.

She remembered how he pounded into her for all he was worth. He was rough and unrelenting. He pulled her back far enough to kiss and lick behind her ear in between whispering filthy promises in that velvety baritone. He could have made her come with that alone.

She recalled his stamina fondly. In fact, her body seemed to recall his stamina as well as the heat between her legs increased.

He kept stroking deeply in places she'd forgotten existed. He turned her head and looked deep in her eyes whispering more filth and just before she came again, she remembered thinking that he kind of looked like Sheldon.

_Shit._

This was not good.

How long ago was that anyway? Two, almost three years?

Did this mean what she thought it meant? Was she in love with Sheldon?

Penny didn't think so.

Was she attracted to him?

She could safely say that on some level she was. She did come pretty hard that second time…

But love?

Yes, she did love him. He was a good friend. Sheldon looked out for her. He took care of her. He never took advantage of her when she was high on pain killers. He was a decent man. More than decent, actually.

Then again, it was exactly that thinking that got her to stay with Leonard for as long as she did. Then he suddenly turned around and betrayed her with her best friend.

Sheldon was no Leonard, though. Sheldon definitely had control over his emotions as well as the fuzzier parts of his anatomy. Wasn't that what she wanted after all? A good-looking man who was also good at keeping it together and keeping it in his pants?

That's what she thought Leonard would be like. That's why she tried making it work. Twice. She really believed that he would eventually get there. That's why it hurt.

It hurt.

Her chest constricted with ache as her vision blurred. She needed to pull over fast.

_What a great time to start feeling again. This is what I get for having deep thoughts instead of suppressing them._

She switched lanes as smoothly as she could manage to avoid waking Sheldon. He jerked awake anyway after Penny pulled onto the shoulder and flicked her blinkers on.

"Why are we stopping?" he asked. Penny opened the glove box for a napkin to take care of her moist sniffs. "What's wrong?"

"I'm okay, Sweetie. I just need a minute. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed."

"Oh", he said. To Sheldon's immense relief, Penny closed her eyes and pressed her head to the head rest. It was a few minutes before she felt calm enough to keep driving.

She turned the ignition key and- nothing.

The car wouldn't start.

Penny swallowed thickly. She tried it again. Again nothing. She flicked the blinkers on and got out of the car.

This was just what she needed. Her tears started up again but this time they were tears of frustration. She paced up and down the shoulder trying to expend some violent energy. Finally, she opened the passenger door on the driver's side and slid in to the back seat. She sat back there trying to get a handle on her emotions. For long minutes her labored breathing was the only sound in the car.

Sheldon got out of his seat and slid into the back with her.

"I was really looking forward to this trip, Sheldon." She glanced at her friend.

"I don't understand why he cheated on me. I mean, it wasn't the first time I cut him off. In fact, I was going to let him back in my 'good graces' just a few days after the reception. _He_ was the one who kept sniping at me and picking fights."

"He said he was jealous." Sheldon supplied.

"What?"

"Actually, what he said was that he 'got really angry and jealous and started drinking- a lot.'"

"Angry _and_ jealous? The angry I get. Jealous not so much. I never gave him a reason to be jealous."

"He said it was because of David." Penny looked at Sheldon as if he were speaking a different language.

"David? Who's David?"

"Bernadette's cousin, David. Leonard said you spent the night dancing and laughing with him at the reception."

Penny could not believe how bone-headed Leonard could be for a smart guy sometimes. She turned to Sheldon to explain.

"Leonard was jealous because he thought that I was _flirting_ with David. That wasn't what happened. I was feeling kind of miserable, then David walks up to me and says that I have the look of a woman who's angry at her man. It made me smile. We got to talking and it turned out David was also annoyed at _his_ man." Penny caught Sheldon's puzzled look.

"David's _gay_, Sheldon."

"Oh. Oh, dear!" He said as the penny dropped.

"Yep." She couldn't believe it. This was a total mess. It was times like these that she missed sharing a room with her sister. She and Min would curl up on the couch watching sappy movies when one or the other was suffering the effects of a heartbreak. She looked at her friend again.

"Sheldon, I need you to do me a favor. I know that you're not comfortable with physical contact, but I could really use a hug. Could you please… just- just hold me for a few minutes?"

**~O~**

* * *

**~O~**

It was a different sort of comfort.

With Min, it was because she could relate. Since Min was a few years older, she'd felt this way before and knew where Penny's pain came from. Her mother's brand of comfort, while still soothing, was a couple decades removed from the memory of that type of misery.

This was a misery-loves-company type of comfort, but not as cynical as the phrase normally sounds. She supposed it was because they were in the same boat. Maybe it was different because it was comfort from a guy. One that wouldn't think to take advantage of this situation.

_Is that why I'm okay that my shields are down?_

His left arm was slung across her shoulders, his hand doing that awkward 'there, there' pat on her upper arm. It had been a few minutes, and his body was finally starting to relax. Tired of thinking about screwed up romances, she concentrated on the moment instead.

The weight of his arm. The press of his cheek on her temple. The warmth of his fresh breath across her face. The way he smelled. It was an interesting mix of Irish Spring, baby powder and, well, male. Her muscles unclenched and blood bubbled gently, like champagne, under her skin. She let out a breath and relaxed against his side.

Sheldon turned his head and pecked a small kiss on her forehead. Just like that, she felt better. She turned her head to look at him.

"Thank you, Sheldon." She gave him a grateful smile.

"You're welcome, Penny." He returned her smile with a small one of his own.

They sat that way for a few seconds. Then something shifted.

Years later, they would have heated debates on whose fault it was, but in reality, they met in the middle in a soft press of lips.

**~O~**

Penny never knew he had it in him. Sheldon was normally such an enigma that this new development was mind boggling.

Sheldon was _really_ good at kissing.

Her head was cradled in the crook of his left arm. His mouth slid over hers and she let herself feel its shape and texture. She enjoyed the sweet friction. He pressed the fingers of his left hand under her chin to tilt her face up. It made her gasp in surprise and Sheldon chose that moment to shyly slip his tongue passed her lips.

She gasped again in alarm.

Did he realize what he was doing?

But all thoughts got fuzzy when his other hand moved to her ribcage to pull her closer.

_Screw it._

She placed her right hand on the back of his neck and kissed him back. It dimly registered that he kissed as if he ware tasting- savoring- her. Her heart rate picked up and was weirdly surprised that she was aroused.

When was the last time that happened from just kissing? High School? _And_ she was sober.

Penny's body was heating up. Her womb was doing this clenching- lift thing that was… new. Breathing got difficult when Sheldon's hand fell from her ribcage to the top her thigh. It was as if her whole body woke up and was acutely aware that his hand was resting on her khaki shorts with the exception of his pinky.

Penny couldn't decide if she was more disturbed that a pinky was that distracting or that she honestly wanted Sheldon to touch her.

She was disturbed enough to break the kiss.

**~O~**

* * *

**~O~**

"Sheldon, I need you to touch me." She whispered. Sheldon looked at her for a moment before giving her a barely perceptible not of acquiescence. She noticed his normally clear, blue eyes were hot and smoky. He watched her face intently as his hand moved from the top of her thigh to her knee then slowly back up her inner thigh to the "V" of her legs. His fingers roamed over the soft fabric and started moving up and down over the outline of her dent.

Penny let out a soft mew and her body seemed to go slack when his fingers found their way up her pant leg. He tentatively felt her seam and she moaned loudly when he accidentally touched her nub. He touched it again more firmly and her leg was slung over his to give him better access.

Penny was lost.

Her mind was fog and mist. Her body- electric impulses sizzling through liquid desire. The enigma seemed to figure out what she liked in a surprising short amount of time. His fingers moved to tease her opening and that wonderful bundle of nerves in swirls and patterns only he knew the meaning of. All the while Sheldon kept placing soft pecks along her jaw when he wasn't leaving warm lingering kisses on her mouth.

She was close and wanted to feel him. She shifted her body so that she could open his pants and pull out a rather impressive erection. He was smooth and firm. He filled the circle of her fingers snugly enough that her fingertips didn't even touch. She pumped up and down in time with his ministrations. Sheldon grunted low in her ear and spilled over the back of her hand.

To Penny's relief, he redoubled his efforts and incidentally kept bumping that elusive patch of spongy ridges until her body coiled sharply and exploded with sticky chaos all over his hand.

They clung to each other for a few minutes as they recovered their senses.

_My shorts are going to be uncomfortable,_ she thought.

They dressed and cleaned up in silence after Sheldon fetched her a pair of clean black shorts.

Penny stashed the soiled clothes in a plastic shopping bag and made sure it was knotted tightly so as not to taint the rest of her suit case. That's when it hit her.

"Vapor lock!" she exclaimed.

"What?"

"My car won't start because of vapor lock. That gas cap is a little weird. So sometimes when I'm not paying attention I tend to over tighten and it has trouble starting." She quickly corrected the problem as Sheldon watched and they got back in the car.

She turned the key and the engine roared to life.

"You need a new car." Sheldon said flatly. Penny just grinned at him.

**~O~**

* * *

**~O~**

The drive into Barstow was quiet but not awkward. It wasn't a long drive, just long enough for Penny to dread the conversation she was going to have to have with Sheldon. She didn't want things to be weird between them for the rest of the trip. The whole purpose of this trip was to gain some perspective and get away from weird.

They stopped at one of the inns in the tiny town of Barstow. After parking, Penny took a moment to admire the part of the sunrise. The morning sky was a lovely palate of golden yellow, pale green and soft blue. Sometime after being seated, the waitress brought their meal to their booth and the duo tucked in with a ravenous gusto (you know the one).

Halfway through her short stack of pancakes, Penny came up for air and broaches a very delicate subject.

"Do you regret what happened in the backseat earlier?", she asked.

"I'm not very experienced with displays of loss of inhibition, but I find that they were not as abhorrent as any of the adolescent descriptions that I have been unfortunate enough to listen to when in the presence of my usual band of cohorts."

"So... that's a no?"

"I thought I just said that." Penny sighed in frustration.

"Sheldon, I want to try something this weekend. I guess you can call it an experiment of sorts."

"Go on."

"I find that I want to just cut loose and not filter any of my thoughts and feelings. I want to be able to do what I want and not worry too much over the consequences. If it's not too much to ask, I would like for you to do the same. What I mean to say, just for the duration of this trip I would like the both of us to act on every whim if it's not too dangerous or illegal. What do you think?"

"So... just go with the flow?" He was mocking her.

"I thought I just said that." Penny smiled

"Okay. I can try," he said before turning his full attention on his breakfast.

"I'm so full. I really wish I didn't have to drive the rest of the way and just take a nap." Penny was surprised she cleared her plate. She didn't realize she was that hungry.

"I can drive the rest of the way, Penny."

"That's really nice of you to offer, Sweetie. But I'd feel better about you driving if you had your license."

Sheldon gazed at her for a long moment.

"Penny, if I tell you something, will you promise to keep it a secret?"

"Sure. Whatever happens in Vegas—or on the way to Vegas—stays in Vegas."

"I've had my driver's license for almost three years."

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter was inspired by Maroon 5's song "Secret". Thanks for reading.


	2. You Don't Know Me- Part One

**You Don't Know Me**

**Part One**

Leonard entered the apartment and it was too quiet for a Thursday afternoon. He left work early to pack a few items for the weekend and find his updated copy of the roommate agreement. He wanted to get what he needed while actively avoiding Sheldon. The truth of the matter was that Leonard was ashamed. For all his talk of wanting to be that guy who would pick up countless attractive women regardless of any existing commitments, he certainly never wanted to be that guy whom you often found on trashy talk shows confessing to their best friend that they've slept with his girl and got her pregnant. There was a bro code that was never to be disregarded.

But because he never actually dealt with his insecurities, he lost his best friend and his girlfriend. This was a truth that clobbered him over the head that previous Thursday. He remembered that moment with perfect clarity.

Raj, Howard and Bernadette had just left his apartment leaving him alone with Amy. He observed her from his vantage point at his desk chair. She was seated across the living room in the arm chair looking back at him. Her eyes and nose were red and tear tracks stained her cheeks. She looked miserable. He had essentially ruined his friends' lives by letting anger and jealousy take control of him.

He vowed to make things right—starting with taking responsibility for his actions.

"Amy—I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry for telling you that you being pregnant is not my problem. That was a terrible thing to say considering I took your virginity. I know it's mine. It's a poor excuse, but I don't deal with desperation and distress well and I sometimes don't think things through. Again, I'm sorry." Amy was quiet for what seemed like a long time before responding.

"I guess I also owe you an apology. I'm sorry I didn't break the news gently. I didn't have to blurt it out like that. I didn't just know how else to say it. I'm sorry for the way I have treated you for the last few weeks. I know it's not an excuse for my behavior, but understand I was confused and scared. I'd never had sex before and had no idea that I was going to lose it that way."

"It's okay. I'm sorry I took something so precious from you. If it's any consolation to you, had I been less inebriated, I would have tried to make it..." Leonard was trying to find the appropriate word.

"Memorable?" she supplied. Leonard gave her a sardonic little smile.

"I think it's already memorable. I was going for special. Would you like something to drink?"

"Water, please." Leonard moved to get a couple of bottles from the refrigerator.

"I suppose we do have a lot to talk about. Here's the first important question. What do you want to do? Whatever you decide to do I'll back you up."

"Well, though I believe in a woman's right to choose, I want to keep it. I never thought I'd ever be a mother and I feel that if I don't jump on the chance now I may never have another opportunity. What do you want to do?"

"Truth be told, I sort of feel the same about being a father. I like kids and always wanted to have my own little family." Amy smiled a little. She could definitely see Leonard being a good father.

"Amy, if we're going to do this I can't be in a situation where I only get to see my kid on the weekends or every other day. I want to be there every step of the way, every single day. For many reasons, it would be convenient if we lived together."

"That is true. But my apartment is too small and we both know Sheldon won't give up this apartment." Leonard nodded in agreement and thought for a minute before speaking.

"Okay, how about this? We make an appointment with your doctor. Once it's confirmed, we could go house hunting and start ironing out the details as we go."

"Okay. That sounds like a good idea. On one condition."

"I'm listening."

"I need your word that if you have any problems or doubts with any and all decisions we make—I need for you to just be a man and tell me. I think that parents should be on the same page and not go against the other's wishes."

"I'll agree to your terms if you in turn promise to show our kid as much love and support as you can. It may not have been conceived in love but I cannot stomach the idea that he ever feel as if his parents didn't try to be loving and understanding."

"Of course. I assume we are in agreement?" Leonard nodded.

"Um, Amy? Could I crash on your couch tonight? I don't think I could stay here after what happened. Well, I could but I just wouldn't feel right."

"Sure. I actually have a spare room. You could sleep there."

"Thanks. I'll go get my overnight bag. You wanna grab some food on the way to your place?" Amy nodded.

"Okay," he said as he turned into the hallway.

Leonard moved quickly down the hall to the bathroom to retrieve his sundries. He then stood briefly in front of Sheldon's door and debated if he should tell him he would be staying at Amy's. After a few moments he decided not to. The poor guy has been through enough for one day. If he were in Sheldon's shoes, the last thing he wanted to hear was that his ex-best friend and roommate was going to spend the night at his ex-girlfriend's apartment. He turned from the door and continued to his bedroom to gather a change of clothes.

**~O~**

Leonard was sitting at Amy's small dining room table sharing Chinese take-out with her. He noticed that she'd picking at her food for the past few minutes. He idly wondered if she'd already started to experience some of the pregnancy symptoms.

"Have you had any morning sickness yet?"

"Yeah. It started out as what I originally thought was a latent onset of a hangover. But then, I figured, that it wouldn't happen a week and a half after the fact."

"Are you feeling sick now? Because you've been picking at your food for the last five minutes."

"No."

"Then what's wrong?" he asked.

"I just realized that telling my mother will be very unpleasant." She pushed her plate away from having completely lost her appetite. Leonard put down his fork.

"Why's that?" he asked

"Mother has been very protective of me. As a result she tends to want to be very involved in my life. Growing up she was always telling me not to trust men or it'll get me in trouble. She always pushed me to put my studies or my career ahead of everything else. Including having a social life. When I tell her I'm pregnant she's going to be very upset."

"What about your dad?"

"He's not around," she said with a little shrug. Leonard's brows furrowed. This was news to him.

"He and my mother were friends and they got together the one drunken night. After he found out he got my mother pregnant he was supportive… for a while. I guess, at some point, it all got to be too be too much for him to handle because he pulled a disappearing act." Leonard was dumbfounded. He didn't know what to say. He wished he'd known. He probably wouldn't have been such a dick to her.

"I think we should hold off on telling her until we know for sure that you're pregnant and we've come up with a general plan. We'll tell her together when we're ready." He said. The knots in Amy's stomach loosened and some of her appetite was returning.

"Just try not to worry about it for now. Worrying can't be good for you and the baby. And if it's not too much, try to eat a little more. You need to keep your strength up."

"I'd appreciate that. What about your parents?" she asked after taking a nibble of her steamed dumpling.

"I think my dad would be pleased at being a grandfather. I don't think my mother would care either way." Amy just nodded her head and didn't say anything on the subject of Leonard's mother choosing, instead, to steer the topic to slightly safer ground.

"I've decided to take a personal day from work tomorrow. I have an appointment at ten thirty."

"I'd like to come with you, if you don't mind."

"I'd like that." She looked at him for a moment with a weird look on her face. Leonard couldn't figure out what she was thinking. Amy got up to clear the table.

"Here, let me do that and I'll wash the dishes. Why don't you take some time to unwind, you've had a long day."

"Thank you. I'll get your room ready before I shower and change into my comfies."

Amy came back out into the living room wearing a worn baby blue tee shirt and baggy gray sweats. Her hair was still damp and fell in waves around her shoulders. She looked like Amy—but not. Though her shirt was sort of baggy he could tell that she wasn't wearing a bra. He didn't know what to feel about this new awareness of Amy.

"Your room is ready. I changed the bedding and found a hypoallergenic pillow that was in its original packaging."

"Thank you, Amy. I appreciate you letting me stay here with you."

"Not a problem. It's still early, would you like to watch a movie?"

"Sure."

**~O~**

Later that night, Leonard lay on the daybed in Amy's spare room. He went through his nightly exercise of going through all of the events of the last month and adding in the new bits of information he'd gleaned over the course of the day.

_I'm going to be a father._

This was the new puzzle piece which made all the things he's been through in the last three and a half weeks seem insignificant. In the next eight or nine months he will be responsible for another little human being. Leonard was terrified. So he did what he'd done every night since the morning he woke up with a naked, panicking Amy. He needed to review it all so he could figure out how he was going to get through the next day…

For months, it had bugged Leonard that he was ready to move on to starting a family when his girlfriend was clearly struggling with getting over her commitment issues. He knew that it was a bad idea to rush Penny but if they were going to stay together he wanted to get married and have kids while he was still young and had the energy to keep up and play with his kids. Since his parents had him later in life he never got a chance to have those vital bonding moments like his overachieving siblings did. He tried to broach the topic of taking the next step but Penny would always shut him down or change the subject. Sure, they were having a great time and some things were better now that they have given dating another try. But, to him, something always felt a little… off.

The week before the reception he walked into Penny's apartment to let her know that the pizza arrived. When he walked into her bedroom he was greeted with the sight of Penny in a creamy white summer dress that was snug at her torso and flared out into a full skirt that came down just above her calves. When the light hit it at certain angles the fabric seemed to blush a very pale pink. The effect was breathtaking. He decided that she looked very angelic—very bridal.

She caught his reflection in the mirror and smiled as she twirled.

"So? What do you think? It came with a baby pink ribbon that I could tie around the waist. This is what I want to wear to the reception if Bernie decides to not wear her wedding dress. But if she does end up wearing her gown, I don't mind wearing my pink bride's maid dress. I like that one too."

"You'd look beautiful no matter what you wear. But in that dress you would make some angels jealous." Penny's eyes got all soft and looked like she was blinking back some tears.

"That's so sweet, Leonard." She said softly. Leonard's throat started to clog with emotion so he cleared his throat before speaking.

"Pizza's here. Hurry up and changed before it gets cold."

"I'll be over in a few."

That night, all through dinner, Leonard could not get the image of Penny twirling in that dress out of his mind. He was barely listening to what was going on. The only clear piece of conversation that he could recall from that meal was that Bernadette was indeed going to wear her wedding gown. Something about it being wrong not to. He caught the slight disappointment that flashed across Penny's face. He wanted to do something nice for her. He would ask her to marry him again only this time, he would concede to the civil ceremony and forego any large affair he had envisioned. He was fairly confident that she would agree to that. It would be less scary for her and she could wear that dress. He wanted to see her speak her vows in that dress. After the gang left that night, Leonard took a few minutes to strengthen his resolve and marched himself across the hall.

_That was a disaster. _

He got down on one knee.

"Leonard, what are you doing? Get up."

"Penny-," he started.

"Leonard, get up. We've been through this. I'm not ready for us to take that step." He got up from the floor and sat on the couch.

"Penny, I don't see what the problem is. We're getting along great. We love each other. We practically live together…"

"I'm just not…" He cut in before she could finish her thought.

"Come on. Don't you agree?"

"Leonard, just drop it. I don't think we're both ready for such a big step. I need you to trust me to know when I'm ready to talk about going there. Just drop it. If you bring this up again, I'm cutting you off."

"What if we just have a small civil affair? It's definitely less scary than a big, fat wedding with all the trimmings. You could even wear the dress you had on earlier." Penny growled in frustration. It was as if she never said a word.

"That's it! You're cut off." Penny marched to the door and yanked it open. "Good night, Leonard." That was it. She dismissed him without discussing their issues with a barely civil pleasantry.

Leonard was angry.

He got up off the couch and stormed out of the apartment.

**~O~**

The week moved on in a concerted effort to pull the reception together in its final stages. Tensions and emotions were high. Especially between Leonard and Penny. They didn't speak very much because Penny was still angry with him. Leonard was frustrated because he was no closer to a resolution to their issues. He was sure that if they talked things out they could fix things. But that was kind of hard to do when she refused to even look at him.

The party was in full swing and she did look very lovely in the pink dress. The majority of his night was spent watching her from afar whenever he was sure no one was paying attention to him. It irked him to no end that she seemed to get cozy with Bernadette's cousin David. Leonard was watching the moment David walked up to her and started talking to her. It took him only two seconds of conversation before Penny gave tall, good-looking, sandy-haired David a big smile. It made that bitter, ugly feeling of anger and jealousy curl in his gut.

Leonard grabbed a flute of sparkling wine and knocked it back like a tequila shot. David must have asked Penny to dance because he was leading her by the hand onto the dance floor. He briefly spoke to the deejay before leading Penny to the middle of the floor. There was an awkward moment of silence as they waited for the music to begin. Suddenly there was some sort of swing sounding tune and they started to move. They were dancing a lindy hop. He only knew that because of the years he'd been forced to watch Dancing with the Stars by Raj and Penny. He watched as they moved in near effortless unison. Of course there was a mistake here and there but once Penny found her confidence the two were moving as if they'd been dancing for years. Midway through their dance, Penny gave David a big smile. It was a smile that seemed to have bubbled up from somewhere deep and forgotten.

She seemed to sparkle.

A server sailed by with a tray of freshly poured flutes. Leonard grabbed two more knocked one back with barely a pause.

_She hasn't sparkled that way in years._

He realized that she never seemed to sparkle that way with him. He thought back to when he first met her. She shone brilliantly back then. Somehow over the years she slowly seemed to become… less. He watched as David twirled her and she threw her head back to laugh at something that he'd said.

Leonard gulped down the second flute of sparkling wine.

No. That wasn't quite right. She did. Once. When he came back from the arctic there was this heat and crackle between them that was all consuming. All those weeks apart had stoked the flames. Now, there was barely a spark. Any heat between them was now fueled by alcohol. If anything, she only seemed to have that constant heat and crackle with his roommate. Leonard was certain that if Sheldon allowed himself to be more human, his rapport with Penny would be worrisome.

Had any passion that they held for each other fizzle out after their first time? Was there anything he could do to rekindle what they once had?

Another server sauntered by with a tray filled with glasses of white wine. Leonard grabbed one.

The song ended and the rest of the party goers erupted in applause. The deejay put on some sad standard that sort of sounded like Michael Bublé and Penny and David were standing a little too close for his tastes. Leonard leaned up against the wall near a corner sipping and pretending to be watching the other guests on the dance floor.

Hind sight being what it is, he should of known all along what his instinct told him back then—they could only be good friends. The more Leonard reflected on the past, it became increasingly apparent that Penny was probably not that into him. He felt like he put forth a lot of effort into their beta test to make their second attempt at a relationship successful but every time they had a difference of opinion she would clam up. She refused to talk about some things and he felt like she wasn't even trying to make things better between them or herself. Or if she didn't clam up, she had a way of twisting his words in words in ways that made _him_ seem like the bad guy. In his opinion the bug report system was a bust.

The more he thought about it, she probably stayed with him as long as she did for the same reasons he'd been starting to suspect he'd stayed with her: to stave off the loneliness. It probably wasn't the best of reasons to continue a relationship. It was an even worse foundation for a happy marriage. If Penny had already come to that conclusion, could he really be mad at her for not wanting to marry him?

If that were the case, her refusal to even talk about commitment wasn't exactly the issue that bothered him. It was that, for whatever reason, she wasn't being up front about not being that into him. Leonard was certain that if she'd talk to him more, they could get past a lot of issues they weren't dealing with. He sighed and shook his head at himself. He took a good long look at his girlfriend moving gently in the arms of another man. Though the song was somber her face was lit up and was conversing with her partner animatedly.

He put down the empty glass and picked up a tumbler of whiskey.

It hurt him deeply to think that she was never really happy with him. It was inevitable. He knew what he need to do and was disgusted with himself that he had not thought to do it sooner.

It was over.

It had been for a while he just refused to see it. He would wait until after the reception to formalize his single status. For right then all he wanted to do was stop thinking and relax.

Leonard moved away from the wall to get more wine.

**~O~**

After his fifth or sixth glass of wine, Leonard started to feel hot and went outside for a bit of fresh air. He decided to take a turn around the building to cool off and clear his head. The sun set minutes before and the street lamps were coming on. He had been strolling unsteadily along for several minutes off in his own little world when a twinkle caught his eye he turned his head to find Amy sitting on the hood of her car drinking straight out of a pilfered bottle. When he got closer, he saw that her eyes were red and make up was smudged. Her once carefully sculpted curls were messy and her tiara was askew.

"Amy? You been cryin'? Wha's s'matter?" he slurred

"Sheldon's the matter?"

"What? What happened?" he asked as he climbed up on the hood next to her. He lost his balance and banged his shin on the bumper. He kept struggling to get up on the hood while Amy watched with curiosity until he finally got settled.

"I got us a room so we could... you know. He flipped out and said that I have a one track mind and that he was disappointed that I got a room without discussing it with him first. Then, in the next breath, he went all Homo Novus on me." Reliving the experience made her cry all over again. She continued after getting a grip on her rampant emotions. "I'm really tired of fighting him all the time. I want to move forward but he just digs his heels in and refuses to budge. When I finally do get him to budge and we get some momentum, something happens and he refuses to budge again and it's like we're moving backward. It's practically fisy- fisy- siffiesean? Sisyphean. I think I have to come to terms with the fact that I'm just undesirable." Tears started rolling down her face in sooty lines and she chugged back some more of whatever was in the bottle.

"Why d'ya think you're undesirable?" He took the bottle from her so he could take a sip.

"Physically, I'm no prize. My boobs are too small—hips too wide. I'm not pretty. Any 'tractive males, like Zach, don't know I'm alive unless I bump into them and they acknowledge my existence only long enough to say 'watch it' or 'sorry'." She took the bottle back to take another swig. "I thought that with Sheldon, since he seems to prize intelligence over anything, I would have a shot at, you know, finding someone who sees the real me first and then the attraction would follow. But now I know even _that_ isn't even possible." She started sobbing really hard. Leonard pulled out a hankie from his jacket pocket and dabbed clumsily at her tears.

"You really shouldn't blame yourself." he said. "That's juss the way he is. Mrs. Cooper is always sayin' how ya gotta to take yer time with'im. He always does things on his own time. Usually, he thinks over every angle and does research for a really long time. If he decides it's not somethin' he wants to do, he won't do it. If he does, he sees it through."

"I really don't think that's the case here, Leonard," she said as she took the hankie to wipe her nose. Her insistence on being undesirable seemed to cut through some of that fog down to a place where he could relate, sobering him a bit.

"I know you care about Sheldon, but, maybe you two are better as friends. I really believe that there's someone for everyone. I think that there's a special someone made just for you."

"You really think so?"

"Amy, you're intelligent, funny, wise, caring and when you get gussied up you're especially lovely." Leonard was surprised to find that he meant what he said. (In vino veritas, ya'll) She cracked small smile tossed her brown curls over her shoulder.

"Don't hate me cuz I'm beautiful," she said, making Leonard giggle like a mad man.

"Whether or not Sheldon comes 'round, that lucky guy will see you and be crazy about you." Leonard cups her face and wipes her tear tracks with his thumbs before continuing. "I know what it feels like to think that you're unwanted. But never give up hope. Yeah, rejection from the one you love hurts, but things'll get better. If you need anything—a sounding board or a shoulder to cry on—I'm here for you." Before he could really think about it he pecked her softly on the lips.  
When he pulled away she was looking down her cheeks were pink with embarrassment.

"Thank you, Leonard," she said. When she looked up he was struck with her innocence and how precious and rare that was. There was a flare of something in her eyes and he pulled her in for another kiss. Nothing happened for a few seconds then she started to respond. Her body relaxed and she pressed her face more firmly to his. Leonard slipped one arm around her shoulder and the other around her surprisingly slim waist. He cradled her against his body as he reclined against the windshield. Amy put some heat into her kiss. A feeling Leonard was not used to. Penny was good at kissing but he never felt that kind of heat from her. It didn't even bother him that Amy's technique was a little off. She tasted sweet and a bit exotic—like tangerines and sweet curry and sea salt. He wondered idly if that's what innocence tasted like. In the next breath he just stopped caring. Amy's sweet kiss caught him up and he was adrift—lost in it.

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter was inspired mostly by the song You Don't Know Me covered by Michael Buble. The original version of this chapter was too long and this seemed like the best stopping point. Part Two of this chapter was inspired by the songs You Don't Know Me by Ben Folds (feat. Regina Spektor) and No Me Conoces (incidentally Spanish for "you don't know me") by Marc Anthony. A special thanks to Di, my Plot Advisor (PA). I say PA because the term beta wouldn't apply since my spelling and grammar isn't that bad. She helped me work out some of the kinks and for that she'll be awesome forever. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

**PS- Should Sheldon and Penny get married in Vegas? The poll is posted at the top of my profile page. Vote to let me know what you think.**


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